George Brown College donors and supporters see construction progress firsthand during tours of Limberlost Place site

Limberlost Place hard hat tour, July 2022

With construction well underway on our mass-timber building, we invited special guests to tour the site of what will soon become an iconic landmark on Toronto’s waterfront.  

George Brown College President Dr. Gervan Fearon hosted a series of visits to the Limberlost Place construction site for the people who helped make the project happen and who proudly champion the college. Chancellor Emeritus Sally Horsfall Eaton, business leader and philanthropist Jack Cockwell, and other donors and supporters were among the guests who got a special sneak peek at the progress so far. 

“Getting a close look at the work underway on Limberlost Place made me very excited for the students who will learn in this incredible new facility,” Horsfall Eaton said. “George Brown College plays such a key role in making Toronto an exciting place to live, learn, work and play, and this building really exemplifies that spirit.” 

GALLERY - Limberlost Place Hard Hat Tours

The 10-storey net-zero carbon emissions structure will be made of nationally sourced mass timber components and will set new standards for green building. Slated to open in the summer of 2024, Limberlost Place will be the first institutional building of its kind in Ontario. The site is directly north of the Daphne Cockwell Centre for Health Sciences at Queens Quay East and Lower Sherbourne Street. 

Limberlost Place Project Manager Nerys Rau said guests, outfitted in safety gear, were guided around the east side of the construction site where they saw the foundation, the mechanical and electrical system rough-ins, and the forming of the columns. 

“They were able to see the tunnel entrance to the Daphne Cockwell Centre for Health Sciences, as well as imagining the pedestrian bridge that will join the two buildings,” Rau said. “They also saw the locations of the future childcare centre and fitness centre.” 

The Chancellor Emeritus and Jack Cockwell also attended the Limberlost Place groundbreaking ceremony in December 2021. Motivated by a passion for sustainability, the environment, and future generations, Cockwell donated $18 million to the project — the largest donation to an Ontario college. 

Learn more about Limberlost Place and find out how you can support our students’ success through the George Brown College Foundation